Christmas at uncle's Budd
by milou03
Summary: The time of Christmas is coming,but for the Curtis brothers it mean the first without their parents's death and the loss of Johnny and Dallas . The holidays look very sad . But Darry has an idea who could change many things for his brothers and him .
1. Chapter 1

I do not own The Outsiders.

Darry had left work earlier this day. His boss, Mr Berckley gave a party for the end of the year but he didn't feel in a mood to drink with his colleagues. To be polite,he had taken a glass of champagne before making off discreetly. He knew Mr. Berckley would understand. He was perfectly aware of what his brothers and he had gone through all this year and was sympathetic to the fact that the young man didn't have the mind at parties.

As he drove the pick-up truck through the bustling downtown on this December 22nd,he remembered that there was an object which he was particularly anxious to recover without ever having the time. Since the opportunity appeared,he decided to go to the little jewelery shop where he a few weeks ago. The litle spherical bell of the door tinted when he opened it while the view of the sparkling garlands and the decoration carefully installed made him feel a very painful pinch in the heart. He remembered so well how much his mother loved the Christmas time and all which related to it, how much his father was delighted to take his brothers and him in search of the most beautiful christmas tree and pull with them Steve and Two Bits,and even Dallas, as he always ensured to choose one for Johnny without the young boy feeling embarrassed that his parents are a thousand to think by themselves.

Darry felt an icy chill run through him. This year would be the first one where all this wouldn't happen. This year would be the first when he wouldn't see his mother's bright eyes when she saw her boys opening their gifts, the first when he wouldn't hear his father's warm laughter when he fights with him and his brothers by decorating the Christmas tree . All this was so unjust. His parents were the best people the earth had ever worn, they didn't deserve to know such a tragic fate. He still needed them so much, Soda and Pony still needed them so much. He wasn't sure how to play the role of parent as his knew to do. It seemed so easy for them, while the events of the last months had proved the opposite. He bitterly swallowed this thought. How he regretted. Things were going better with Pony now,but Darry couldn't help blaming himself for everything that had happened. He felt so guilty. Of course he didn't know how to go about it and was trying to reconcile his new role with his terrible fear of social services taking his little brothers away from him, but his regrettable gesture that had pushed Pony to escape from the house indirectly led to the death of Johnny and Dallas, and today as they were preparing to spend their first Christmas without their parents, the painful loss of their friends was added to the sorrow his brothers and him had to endure, Two Bits and Steve too. And although Soda tried to make him listen to reason, this feeling never ceased to gnaw him inwardly.

"What can I do for you ?" A pretty voice drew him to his darks thoughts, making him almost jump. He turned to the counter where a red-haired young woman smiled at him.

"Oh, Darrel!she looked surprised. If I expected to see you here !"

"Hi, Jane,Darry said with a half smile. You look good."

"Yes, the young woman answered by putting a hand on her very round belly, so to speak, eh." Her good mood succeeded to force a real smile on Darry's face. "I got married to Dan Weaver last year. You know what it's like, a first date for the end of the year's dance and ..." Darry remembered Jane. She had been his girlfriend in eleventh year, wacky and funny, a greaser girl simple and cute. Their story didn't last long, but Darry had a good memory of it. Seeing her again made him think back to the time when everything seemed simple to him in life, the time when his parents were with them, when their gang was complete, and it bled to his heart. He was happy for her, she seemed happy with Dan Weaver, a good guy with whom he had played football .

"I came looking for an object that I dropped," Darry explained. "It is..."

"Don't move," Jane smiled, "I know what you're talking about." She disappeared into the back room and came back shortly thereafter, a small box in her hands. "Mr Johnson had put it aside, I saw it was in Curtis's name but I hadn't done the link with you ."

"Yes," Darry replied, inspecting the box. "It belonged to my father."

"Oh, Darrel," she sighed, "I learned for your parents, I'm ... I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, Darry said briefly. Thank you. How much I owe to you? "

"Oh, nothing, Jane smiled softly, it's for me."

"No, I have enough to pay ..."

"Don't insist, Darrel. Let's say it's my Christmas present, okay?" Darry smiled and nodded.

"I have to go," he said, stepping back toward the exit. "You'll salute Dan from me."

"I'll be glad to see you again, Darrel."

"Me too ...Oh, and Jane, congratulations!" he said, pointing nodding to the young woman's belly, which she touched with a smile.

"Thank you. Merry Christmas,Darrel."

Darry didn't delay returning hom that he found empty and terribly silencious. At this time, Pony was still at school and Soda at the DX. He decided to take a moment to gather his thoughts and sat down in the lounge chair. Machinally he pulled the small box out of his jeans pocket and opened it to look again at the object it contained, and touch it with his fingertip by sighing. His eyes then traveled to the table near the sofa on which some pictures were laid. He stood up to catch the one on which he had put his eyes first. That taken for this Christmas day a few years ago. His breath full of sobs, he contemplated one by one the five smiling and happy faces posing there and stopped on that of his mother.

Her mother so much loved Christmas,she embodied the whole Christmas spirit, and suddenly it seemed to him to hear her clear voice as it was when she gently reprimanded him: _"What's going on here,Darrel Shayne Curtis Jr. We're on December 22nd, and I don't see any signs of Christmas here . Come on,sweetheart, just because we're not here,your dad and I, doesn't mean you have to forget this day . Remember this holiday means remembering how much we love it and all the wonderful moments which we shared at this time of the year. Dad and I are always with you three honey,you must remember it and make your brothers understand it. We all love you so much, you know, even from where we are, never forget that. "_ Three blows rang at the small clock on the wall and Darry awoke with a start in the sofa. Disoriented, he looked for his mother with eyes realizing that it was only a dream. Yet she had seemed so present. As if she had actually come to visit him in his dream. Was it really what she wanted, that his brothers and him celebrate Christmas, even if it was in a different way than before?

Darry looked again at the photography he was holding in his right hand, then swept the room with a desolate look. Nothing indeed reflected anything which have something to do with Christmas. His brothers and he hadn't thought of it. Or not wanted to think about it. Straightaway,they had thought that it would be too painful, or too unfair, to celebrate Christmas without their parents. Yet when he thought about it, he knew it wasn't what their parents would have wished. On the contrary . And in their memory, he had to do something. But what ? How could he propose to Pony and Soda to decorate a fir tree as if nothing had happened? Himself didn't feel like it. In a sigh of dismay he made the little jewelery box play between his little fingers . And an idea came to him suddenly.

He didn't know if that was the right thing to do. Maybe not, but he had to. He grabbed the phone, feeling his heart beat louder when he dialed the number and then a strange quiet when, after a few rings, a somewhat rocky voice answered the other end of the wire leaving him a little intimidated.

"Hello?"

* * *

A cold wind had risen when Darry left the house to cross the street to the Matthews house. As he approached, he heard a childlike voice hummed _Away in a Manger_ and saw Alice,Two Bits's little sister installing branches of holly on the balustrade of the veranda. The ten-year-old little girl jumped on seeing him.

"Oh, hello, Darry!"

"Hi, Alice!" He climbed the stairs and leaned against the beam of the balustrade. "So,are you decorating for Christmas?" The little girl nodded happily smiling.

"Yes, Keith and I have a surprise for Mom, he brought back a fir tree and ..." She looked down suddenly.

"Hey," Darry said softly, stooping to find at her height. "Alice,it's okay, you know. I find great that your brother and you are preparing for Christmas."

"Yes ?the little girl looked at him surprised." It was just that I remembered that it was usually your dad who was bringing the Christmas tree and ..." Darry saw the little girl's eyes fill with tears and felt his heart clenched at the thought of how much his parents mattered to anyone who knew them.

"I understand," he whispered, rubbing her arm gently."But you know, I'm sure my parents are seeing you prepare this surprise for your mommy and it make them smile."

His words were enough to give to the little girl a pretty smile. "Do you think so?"

"Yeah, Darry assured, I think so." He remembered then that there was a very small thing, but very important for the little girl, which his father never failed to do.

"So, what did you ask Santa this year?"he asked, forcing his moved voice to take a cheerful tone. I bet ... A doll ? "Alice nodded with a little embarrassed pout.

"Don't you think I'm too old for that? It's what Keith said me too,when I asked him, but I wasn't sure.

The idea that Two Bits could be so attentive to his little sister, without even thinking about teasing her, made Darry smile. "Well you see,I agree with him. I just wanted to see him, is he here?"

"Yes, inside," the little girl answered, raising the holly branches she held in her arms. Darry patted her head and walked toward the front door, letting her continue to install her decorations by singing _Silent Night_ this time.

As he passed through the door, the smell of the pine needles mixed with the wax seized his nostrils. Visibly Two Bits and Alice had decided to make the house impeccable, and among other things to polish the furniture, but none of them seemed to inform about the dosage to use.

"Hey, Alice, a helping hand would be welcome!" He heard from the corridor as Two Bits footsteps approached.

"So,I found the balls but I couldn't find the old fairy lights, I think they are ..." He broke off abruptly, stopped in the doorway, just as he saw Darry in the middle of the living room.

"Darry?" He was so surprised that the two boxes he carried almost falling from his arms. "But what ... I mean ... why ...?" He stammered visibly confused while juggling with the boxes to balance them.

"You were asking for a helping hand, weren't you?" Darry simply replied by unloading it. He asked as he made his way to the fir-tree. "It's a beautiful tree! Where did you get it?"

"At the tree nursery, old Jack was kind enough to give me credit," Two Bits replied absent-mindedly without noticing the admiring and almost proud look Darry gave him. "Listen, Darry, um ... for the Christmas stuff and all that ... it's for Alice ..."

Darry sighed and smiled softly. "Two Bits, I just said the same thing to your little sister,it's okay, I assure you." He pressed his shoulder and could feel how tense he was. "You wouldn' t have a beer?"he asked to relax the atmosphere, "I'd like to talk to you about something important."

* * *

"That's all !" Two Bits breathed after listening Darry display his idea to him." When you said "something important," I thought it was serious. "

"I saw that, Darry laughed softly. No, it's just that ... I know the period won't be easy for any of us this year. And I wouldn't leave you alone,Steve and you. "

"Yeah, sure, Two Bits sighed as he rubbed his neck. But it'll be even worse for you three,guys . So,take Pony and Soda, and don't worry about us. Anyway Steve certainly planned to spend Christmas with Evie, and I was instructed by Santa Claus to find a home for Barbie and Ken. " He noticed Darry's bewildered look and explained laughing: "That's what Alice asked Santa Claus, my mom asked me to take care of it, she ... she wanted to invite the three of you for the 25th. Because it worried her, you know, to know you alone."

Darry nodded,smiling softly. He acknowledged Mrs. Matthews's kindness and suspected that she wanted to give back to the children of her friends what Darrel and Emma Curtis had given to her family when she found herself alone and unhappy after her husband's departure.

"Anyway, you're right to do that, Dar," Two Bits resumed before took a last sip of his beer. "We have a lot of great memories of that period,eh. When we were kids... Do you remember when your dad let me drive on the forest path? "

"Yeah, of course," Darry replied, feeling the emotion won him again. "I thought Dallas wasn't going to recover from the trip."

"Ah, he was right, I was driving like a foot."

"Normal, for a first lesson."

"Yeah, that's ... it was the best Christmas present I've ever had, you know. Your dad was so cool to trust me."

"He knew he could, Darry smiled as he felt his throat squeeze. He was awesome as a father."

"Yeah. I remember, that's what I said to Dally."

"What do you mean ?"

"Yeah, my old man had just get out of here and ... Well, we were lucky he took care of us ..." Two Bits paused before his voice broke for good and suddenly got up, pretending to take the empty beers to the kitchen.

Darry watched him go away and sighed sadly. He wasn't unaware that for kids like Two Bits, Dallas or Johnny who had cruelly missed the real presence of a father, his had amply fulfilled that role. He knew that for his father, who had had a difficult childhood, given these children a father figure on which he could count, represented a great deal. Just like the importance his mother attached to take care of Johnny or Steve or trying to keep Dallas in the right path. Darry was very proud of it, but he realized that perhaps he hadn't measured how much their death had been a loss equally painful for all these kids.

"Wow! You decided it would be the only room where you wouldn't do the housework?" He launched by joining Two Bits a few minutes later, his eyes sweeping with an amused look at the piece stewed flour and the table covered with milk, eggshells and chocolate.

"It's Alice," Two Bits replied absent-mindedly, filling the sink with tepid water. "She absolutely wanted to make Christmas cakes like ... "he paused again.

"As Mom did," Darry thought for himself, feeling his heart squeeze for the umpteenth time of the day. He noticed that Two Bits' shoulders and back trembled irregularly while he stood leaning his palms against the edge of the sink, his head down and his breathing oppressed.

"Two Bits,are you okay, buddy?" He worried and put a hand on his shoulder. Two Bits jumped and suddenly turned to him plunging the head against his shoulder, letting out the sobs that prevented him from breathing.

Darry hadn't often seen his friend break up that way, except once, when he came to tell him he was responsible for Pony's condition when he had his concussion after their great fight against the Socs . Two Bits was so often used to making the clown that it was easy to forget that it could sometimes be a facade he used to not let his emotions appear.

"Hey,Darry said softly putting the arms around him. Hey, buddy. Well then,eh. What the hell is going on?"

"Damn shit,man! It's too unfair all that !"

Darry struggled hard to repress his own tears and gently slapped his back. "Yeah,he answered simply. Yeah,I know." It seemed to him that Two Bits was shedding the flood of tears he had been holding for months, and he knew by experience how much it relieved to allow finally this stream to flow. Little by little, the sobs faded and his breathing became more calm. "It's better ?" Darry asked by gently pulling him away and smiled as he nodded in embarrassment.

"I really have to look stupid eh," Two Bits said wiping his eyes furiously.

"You laugh or what, Darry reassured him. It's nothing at all, and you know, it feels good to break up a little blow once in a while, you can believe me."

"If you say so ."

"Don't you feel better now?" Darry asked with a half-smile as Two Bits nodded slowly .

"You see, and I'll tell you something else too."

"What?"

"I think my father would have been very proud of you."

"Why ?" Two Bits asked frankly surprised.

"Well, for all that," Darry replied, pretending to sweep the whole house with a big gesture of his hand, "To have managed to find a tree, to take care of Alice's Christmas...He would have been very proud of you. " Two Bits seemed to think about these words, and Darry could see that he couldn't find a better Christmas present, especially this year.

"Thank you,Dar,"Two Bits said feeling the tears rise to his eyes again.

"You're welcome," said Darry, pressing his shoulder warmly. "And you know, your mom and mine were like sisters, so you're like my little cousins, Alice and you . " Two Bits snorted a smile.

"And what's your excuse to take care of Steve?"

"None, except I've known him since Soda entered in kindergarten."

"Keith!" The voice of Alice resounded from the drawing-room.

"Shit, Two Bits jumped up. Do you see I...?" he asked, pointing to his reddened eyes.

"No, Darry lied as Two Bits ran water over his face. "Don't worry,she won't see anything."

"Darry !" the little girl said as she walked into the room. "Don't leave. I made some biscuits, I'd like to give you ... Keith? What do you have ? You cried ?"

"No,Two Bits answered quickly. Not at all, it's huh...an allergy because of the flour there is everywhere. Eh,Dar ?"

"Yeah yeah!" Darry followed him, scratching the back of the skull, and noticed the suspicious look of the little girl. "And those biscuits, Alice?"

"Oh,yeah," the little girl stopped watching her brother and ran to the oven to pull out the cakes she had put cooking .

"You want a helping hand, kiddo?" Two Bits asked, seeing her take hold of the tray with difficulty, the pitchers far too large for her hands.

"No no, it's good." She carried the tray to the table and picked three little men-shapped cookies which she placed gently on a plate before covering them with cellophane.

"Here !" She smiled as she handed the plate to Darry, who immediately noticed a peculiar sign on one of the cookie-boys.

"Thank you,Miss. And the one with the heart ? Is it for Sodapop,right ?"

"No, for Ponyboy!" she proudly declared. Darry smiled thinking that Pony had finally dethroned his big brother in the heart of the little girl.

"I'll tell him it's from you," he laughed at the sight of the disconcerted face of Two Bits.

A huge smile stretched Alice's pink cheeks and she turned again to her brother. "Are you sure you didn't cry, Keith?" she asked anxiously frowning at her brother's not very convincing way to deny,and looked up at Darry who smiled by seeing her instinctively approaching Two Bits and wrap her arms around his waist.

"Hey,he said,defeated,feeling the tears prick his eyes again and put his arms around his little sister. Is that why,kiddo?"

"Just like that," the little girl answered in a muffled voice her face pressed against her big brother.

Darry remained watching,moved. His father wouldn't have been the only one to be proud of Two Bits,he was also . He finally took leave leaving Two Bits and Alice finish the surprise for their mom and asked them to wish her a Merry Christmas. It was getting late and he still had to go see Steve before talking about his idea to Pony and Soda.

 **Thank everyone for the read . The next chapter will come soon .**


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own The Outsiders .

"I understand nothing in what you tell me," Soda said grabbing a box of beef in sauce which he opened and poured into a saucepan. It had already been,at least,ten minutes since Steve had arrived and followed him into the kitchen where he was preparing dinner, explaining how he would combine his weekend to work at the DX and the time he wanted to spend with Evie . Now, Soda was the one who was supposed to be working for the next day and Christmas Eve. "Anyway,it's me who's on duty this weekend, no ?"

"You don't know,apparently," Steve then understood and went to get a coca in the refrigerator. "Didn't you see Darry?"

Soda laughed and turned to his friend, crossing his arms and leaning against the gas-cooker. "Darry? What the hell is Darry doing in there?"

Steve had just left the house when Darry finally returned. As he passed the door, he could only see that the room looked as sinister as it had been in the afternoon, except that the television was muted on an episode of Wild Wild West and that the sounds of cutlery and the sound of the radio coming from the kitchen announced that Soda was preparing dinner. Darry took off his jacket and was about to throw it on the couch when he noticed that Pony was asleep there. His gaze stopped on the young boy's face. Sure,Pony seemed more fit than he was a few months ago, but his features were drawn and he was paler than usual. It didn't sound like him sleeping like that in the middle of the afternoon.

Darry suspected that the end of the quarter had been tough and that the approach of Chritmas and new Year holidays had to be hard to live for his little brother, in particular to hear the other children to make a joy to spend Christmas with family when this would never be the case for him. Sighing sadly, he grabbed the plaid which was lying in a corner of the couch, placing it gently on Pony and delicately pressed his shoulder, when the young boy jumped abruptly leaving out a stifled cry .

"Hey, everything's fine, Pony," Darry said softly as he sat on the edge of the couch and put the hands on his shoulders. The frightened eyes of the young boy looked around him, gradually recognizing little by little the decor of the room and his brother's face in front of him.

"Darry?" he said putting again his head on the armrest of the sofa. "Uh, I think I fell asleep."

"I confirm it",Darry smiled, patting his shoulder gently, "Is everything okay? You're not sick?" Without waiting for an answer, he placed his hand on his little brother's forehead

"I'm fine,"Darry,Pony said,a bit annoyed. "I'm just tired, that's all."

"Anyway, you don't have fever. Did you have a nightmare?"

"No," Pony answered, a little too much on the defensive to be convincing and straightened up pretending to gathered his homework spread on the coffee table. "Everything is fine ."

Darry sighed, even though things got much better with Pony, it was still difficult for him to make contact with him, especially if it didn't come spontaneously from the young boy. He decided it was better not to insist and got up ready to leave the room when Pony caught up with him. "Wait, Dar, I ... Look, I have to show you that."

Darry stopped and retraced his path, grabbing the paper Pony handed to him. After having a look,he sat down slowly and gave his little brother a compassionate look. Pony had just handed him his First Quarter note. For a brief moment he remembered how joyfully the young boy showed his report card to their parents, proud to make them sign the paper where appeared A and laudatory appreciatons . But this year was also the first time that it was his role to sign the famous paper, and of course he understood how disturbing it must be for Pony.

"You don't sign?"

"Yeah,of course,"Darry recovered, grabbing the pen he handed to him for sign the bottom of the paper. "That's it," he said, capturing the young boy's overturned look and rubbing his neck tenderly as a sign of comfort. Pony blinked to tear away the tears he felt accumulating there and take back the leaf with by sighing.

"It's not terrible,eh," he said as he watched it .

"You have excuses,"Darry reassured him, noticing his surprise when he heard his words. "You'll do better next quarter, no doubt. And then,you had an A + in your writing in the literature class! Mr Shyme is very satisfed with you,you know. "

"How do you know that?" Pony asked, intrigued."I look like you spoke to him."

"Well ...,"Darry began but was interrupted by Soda's enlivened entrance in the room.

"Hey, guys! he stepped forward to them. Look what I found in the kitchen cupboard." And he showed them the plate containing Alice's Christmas cookies.

"Where does it come from?" Pony asked him vaguely interested. Soda put the plate on the coffee table and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh,Darry said . I went to see Two Bits just now, Alice was very keen to offer them."

"Alice ?" Pony astonished,grinning, "I imagine the taste they must have."

"We never know !" Darry smiled, tapping him gently on the shoulder.

"Anyway,if it's Alice, I know for who is the one with the heart!" Soda exclaimed, taking hold of it.

"Sorry to disappoint you, little buddy, but this one is for Pony. Alice has expressly insisted on that."

Soda looked at his little brother's amazed face and put the biscuit back, smiling gently mockingly. "Oh,alright,he said .I leave it to you,Pony. I wouldn't want to deprive you of your little fiancee's gift .

"Great !" Pony replied sarcastically. He nevertheless seized the biscuit which he carried to his mouth while his brothers tasted it on their side. A silence settled then between all three while they glanced at each other .

"Whouah,Soda said after a few seconds. It...It looks like ..."

"The ones Mom did,"Pony calmly finished.

"Yeah, that's it! How could Alice know?"

"Mom had to give her the recipe," Darry smiled, remembering how much their mother was glad to help Mrs. Matthews while keeping the little girl.

"Yeah,Soda smiles in turn. You have to be right."

Darry observed his brothers savoring their biscuit in an almost religious silence and smiled softly at the expression of their faces. Thanks to her candor, little Alice had known, for a moment at least, to make them return to their mother's delightfully fragrant kitchen on Christmas Eve morning,and mess around cheerfully,under her amused and benevolent gaze, as they had done just a year ago.

Perhaps it was a good moment to approach his idea with them. He swallowed the last bite of his biscuit and wiped his hands on his jeans while clearing his throat.

"Well,"he said,reluctantly bringing his brothers back to the reality. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

Soda and Pony exchanged an anxious look. "Well, Soda whistled in a nervous smile,it doesn't look funny. What's going on?"

"Well, Darry started. Here is..."

"Shit,Soda straightened up suddenly. Wait a minute, I left dinner on fire!" He jumped up and almost tripped over to the kitchen where the pasta began to burn,a thick smoke reaching the living room. With a little smile on his face, Darry shook the head incredulously. And to say that it was Pony he blamed to not use his head.

"You got a call from social services, right?" He suddenly heard and turned to Pony, still seated next to him, to discover his discomfited face.

"Huh?"he asked surprised,then realized suddenly his tone too much grave had to make them imagine the worst. "No, he reassured him as he gently put his hand on the young boy's shoulder as Soda joined them," No, it's not at all about that. "

"Ah,Soda let out in a relieved smile ; Is that so ? So don't make a head like that, I swear, you look like you're ready to announce the end of the world or something like that."

"Yeah," Darry recognized pitifully by rubbing the back of the head with an embarrassed look.

"At the same time, Soda added in a playful tone clearly intended to relax the atmosphere, that's the way we love you. If all of a sudden you weren't serious anymore, we would be completely ,Pony? "He tapped softly in the back of his little brother and leaned to see him nod slowly. "So what is this thing about you wanted to talk to us ?"

Darry gave him a grateful smile and cleared his throat before resuming. "Okay, so here we are. I left work earlier today and I ..."

"You met a girl," Soda cut him, taking at the same time a comic and amazed air that managed to snatch a chuckle from Pony.

Darry nodded and sighed exasperated. "You can be serious for a minute and let me talk, he grumbled through the smile he was trying to hide. As if the first thing I would do, if that was the case, would be to go find my little brothers to announce it to them. "

"Well what,why not? If that's the great love!" Soda continued shrugging.

"Well," Darry resumed, shaking his head, "So I left work sooner and I went home," he cast a stern glance at Soda so he wouldn't interrupt him again."And there,I realized that ... uh, well ... "Searching his words, he looked at his little brothers in turn, uncertain of how he was going to introduce them to things. "It's not a very joyful time for us, isn't it?" To their suspicious glances, he added: "I mean, with all the Christmas preparations that we see everywhere and everything ."

"Yeah, Soda nodded softly, you don't need to tell us."

"Yeah," Darry replied confused. "But when I got home I also remembered how much Mom loved this Christmas period, she wouldn't want to see this house so sad, you agree ? And I thought that,in her memory, we had to do something. "

"And what does that mean exactly?"

"Well, we're not going to do anything traditional, none of us want it,right?" He watched the reaction of his brothers, less receptive than he hoped, then finally declared: "Then I thought that we could do something else. What would you say if the three of us would take the pick- up,and we would go spend a few days with Uncle Budd. "

"Uncle Budd?" Pony repeated unsure of who really was.

"Dad's uncle," Soda explained benevolently.

"That's it, I phoned him this afternoon,he agrees." Darry knew that the tone of his voice sounded much more cheerful than it really was, but he needed it to convince Soda and Pony that his idea was worth it.

"Okay,Soda said,with a growing smile on his face. But Dar,Uncle Budd. He lives in northern California,no. From Tulsa to there,there must be at least...20 hours drive . "

"Not far from 22 hours,in fact,"Darry specified by smiling. "That's why we have to leave tonight if we want to be there for Christmas."

"But,Pony ventured,and the school. The holidays are only tomorrow night."

"I went to see your principal teacher, and he agrees that you should miss this last day of school, as long as you do all your homework for the comeback." Pony leaned back against the back of the sofa. He now understood why Darry seemed to have spoken to Mr. Shyme recently. "And I asked my boss a few days, I'll catch up with them in January. "

"Great",Soda exclaimed."But Darry, I'm working this weekend,I'm on duty at the DX."

"Well, actually I went to see Steve and I made some sort of deal with him. He's going to replace you this weekend." Soda felt a big smile invade his face. Here is where Steve was coming from just now.

"Can we know what deal?"he asked,restraining from laughing.

"I told him that if he agreed to replace you, I'll lend him the truck the next time his car breaks down and he wants to go out with Evie."

Soda nodded, stunned. To put into the scales his precious old truck that came from their father, Darry really had to be motivated.

"But ... and Two Bits," Pony interjected again. We can't leave him like that ... "

Darry smiled kindly before answering,"I went to him talking about it. He thought it was a great idea,and then he helped his mother for prepare Alice's ?" he asked impatiently to know their opinion.

"Well, Soda said voluntarily dragging his reply. Why not,after all,it can be funny, huh, Pony? Pony?" Remained in the back of the couch,Pony seemed miles away from them and almost jumped as he heard him pronounced his name a little louder.

"I suppose,"he replied without the slightest enthusiasm.

"Well, Darry exclaimed, not dissatisfied with having rallied everyone to his cause, so it works, now if we went to dinner, then we pile up some things in the pickup and we take the road."

"Oh yeah, dinner, Soda grimaced remembering the completely burned pasta waiting for them, definitely starting to cool. It's not going to be terrible unless everyone loves the crammed pasta and the cold sauce." He leaned down from the armrest and began to lean towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Little Buddy, if you have anything to do with sandwiches, I'm a taker!" Darry smirked.

"I have !"

"Okay, then, the sooner we eat, the faster we can get started." Darry was going to the bathroom for a quick shower when he noticed that Pony hadn't moved from his seat on the couch and slowly retraced his steps.

"Pony, what do you have?" He asked cautiously, "Listen, I know it's not easy, but ..."

"I don't feel like to celebrate Christmas," Pony let go, sliding briskly on the edge of the couch and put away his books and notebooks, avoiding crossed the look of his brother who would immediately notice the tears filling his eyes again .

With a deep sigh, Darry stayed for a minute to observe him. He remembered the Christmas of his fourteen,as all around him was love, joy and joy. Pony had already gone through so much testing this year. He had lost so much. He understood that he doesn't want to hear about Christmas. But he remained convinced that this visit to Uncle Budd, moving away from Tulsa for a few days would be beneficial for his brothers and him. It was worth the try. Sighing again, he sat down on the edge of the coffee table. "Look,Ponyboy. There's no question of celebrating Christmas, not in the sense that we hear it,do you understand?"

"So why do you want oblige us to do it?"

"I don't require you to do it!"

Pony straightened his head for a second, the time it took for Darry to realize that he was on the verge of tears. Realizing too late that his tone had gotten tougher than he wished, he nervously passed his hand in his hair and resumed more calmly. "I thought it was a good idea, but I asked for your opinion. But Pony ..." He hesitated a second before placing his hands gently on the boy's frail shoulders to turn him towards him. "If you don't want to go we can stay here, you know. There are no problems."

Surprised by his last words, Pony was even more so that they sounded in Darry's voice the same calm and warm stamp than the one their dad took when he wanted to reassure them. He decided to look up at him and found himself unable to repress the sob that escaped from his mouth. "I'm sorry, Dar,"he sniffled, annoyed to show himself in such a pitiful state and quickly carried the palms of his hands to his eyes.

Darry smiled softly. He had proof earlier in the afternoon by going to see Two Bits and now with Pony, and especially he could rely on his own experience, a greaser will always be embarrassed to show his tears. But he had learned over time that there was no shame in that. "You don't have to be sorry," he said patting his back and grabbed the roll of paper towels which was lying on the table for stretch him a piece.

"Thank you,"Pony said before blowing his nose noisily .

Darry smiled and rubbed the back of his head: "You are welcome. I'll call Uncle Budd after dinner to tell him we're not coming,okay? But you won't see any inconvenience in missing the last school day . I don't think I'll call your main teacher to tell him that we've changed our mind, and I think it won't hurt you to stay at home, you need rest. " He pulled a few strands from his little brother's forehead, taking a better look at his pale face with drawn features. "Unless you planned to go to the high school Christmas dance and you forgot to tell me, eh?" He tried to joke with a wink and smiled when Pony innocently shook his head . He ruffled his hair and stood up.

"Are you sure that Uncle Budd won't be bothered ? Uh, I mean if he already has everything ready for Christmas and everything ."

"I don't think it's his kind," Darry replied calmly and patted his arm before leaving.

* * *

When he pushed open the door of his room with the arms loaded with his class books, Pony failed to come up against Soda busy preparing his things for the journey.

"What are you doing?"he asked darkly, forgetting that Soda was unaware that everything was canceled.

"Well, I'm preparing my bag," Soda answered cheerfully, then grabbed one of the shirts he had gathered on the bed and sniffed at her, grinning before throwing her into a corner of the room. "Damn, it's impossible to find a shirt that doesn't stink of the sludge." Pony shrugged and went to put his books on the desk.

"How much you bet there are pretty little peasants where Uncle Budd lives?" Soda smiled mischievously before returning to the closet in search of a suitable shirt. Pony dropped onto the bed and grabbed a book that he mechanically turned into his hands. Soda had to be informed, but at the same time he seemed so happy to leave and it was the first time he was talking about to go out with a girl since his break with Sandy.

"You really think it's great to leave," he noticed aloud as Soda stepped out of the wardrobe, not dissatisfied with finding a more or less clean shirt.

"Yeah,"Soda answered with a big smile. "It's a little ... like holidays, it's going to be cool you'll see, and we really need it. "

"But we don't even know Uncle Budd." In the sullen tone of his brother,Soda quickly sank his things in his bag and sat down slowly beside him .

"It's true, yeah," he admitted softly. "But I remember that Dad said he's a good guy. He liked him very much, and that's enough for me."

Pony nodded his head gently, him too remembered it. "But, it doesn't bother you to leave the buddies."

"Well, you heard Darry, everyone will be very busy." Pony nodded. Ever since they had lost Johnny and Dallas, "everyone" was no longer limited to big people. He missed them so much.

"Yeah, I know," Soda said softly, guessing the thoughts of his little brother and put an arm around his shoulders.

"You believe what Darry said ?" Pony asked suddenly. " That Mom would want us to do something for Christmas?"

"Yeah, Soda answered sincerely, I think that's what Mom would like, Dad too. You remember how they always wanted it to be special ?"

Pony felt a little smile taking shape on his face, of course he remembered it. But his memories, formerly merely beautiful and joyful anymore were veiled from the sadness associated with the unjust absence of his parents, and he couldn't recollect them without instantly feeling the tears rise to his eyes as at this moment.

To the tightening he gave him on the shoulder, he knew that Soda had realized it . Darry and him had to feel the same thing, but maybe as they were older, they were better able to handle it.

"I too,I believe in it," he declared in an oppressed voice. "It's just that... it's always going to be like this now, they will never be with us again, not only for Christmas, but all the time. I know, it's silly, it's not like we've just realized it, but..." He didn't finish his sentence for fear that emotion would overwhelm him again.

"It's not stupid, Pony, Soda smiles sadly as he squeezes his arm around his shoulders. Not stupid at all. Me too,I feel like crying when I think of them, the times I need an advice that Dad could give me, as with what happened with Sandy, or hear Mom tell me "everything's fine, don't worry." And it's the same for Darry. Even if he want to show himself as the big brother who manages everything. "

"Huh," Pony replied, quickly passing his hand over the few tears which had rolled down his cheeks."In any case you can say he really did everything to make this trip,eh." He sighed deeply. Suddenly he felt a little guilty of ruining his older brother's efforts without giving them any chance.

"Yeah, that's for sure," Soda exclaimed by laughing. "When I think he put his precious truck in the balance to make sure Steve agrees to replace me. He had to wonder if Darry hadn't smoked or something like that. " Soda's laugh was contagious, so Pony felt that he was slowly relaxing and began to see things differently. If Darry had thought this trip was a good idea, maybe he was right after all.

"So, you fell better?" Soda asked, noticing his relaxed features and smiled as he nodded. "Good, because you still have your bag to prepare!" He rubbed him on the top of the skull and jumped up to finish gathering his things.

"One minute, I have something to do before," Pony replied vaguely and slipped out of the bed to leave the room by running.

"Very well ! he heard Soda warn him happily. But if you count on me to do it for you, don't be surprised if you don't find any book to read for the trip!"

But he didn't want to contradict him, he had made a decision.

Darry surely wouldn't understand it, provided he didn't already call Uncle Budd.

 **Thank for the read ! The sequel will come soon .**


End file.
